Binding Devotion
by Vyke95
Summary: Amelia's a young, rebellious feminist who desires to participate in the women's suffrage movement. However, her husband, Ivan Braginsky, is a wealthy Republican socialite who disapproves of this notion. Although she loves her husband and is hesitant to displease him, Amelia joins the movement anyway. Russiaxfem!America. AU. Covers their relationship through the years 1913-1920.


Finally getting around to writing another story :) I've had quite a few AUs in mind, though this one suddenly came to me one evening and I couldn't pass it up! Anyway, this AU is going to span the years 1913-1920 in the US. It'll cover women's suffrage/feminism, WWI, include some information on the Bolshevik Revolution, the beginnings of prohibition in the US, and the "new woman" era. It'll mostly be focused on Amelia and Ivan and their relationship through this time period. I'm imagining that this will be a fairly long fic. I hope you'll all enjoy it :)

* * *

**February, 1913**

Amelia always had her head in the clouds. That's what her mother used to tell her, at least. Surely the woman must have meant it in a critical, condescending sense, but Amelia took it in stride and turned it to her favor so that it was something she wore proudly as opposed to something that should be crushed and smothered.

She found her idealistic nature to be both her strength and her downfall; coupled with her ambition, it was nearly crippling. Such a combination of characteristics, Amelia had learned, could lead to the formation of a great leader. It's ambition and idealism that cause progression, that cause change. Separately, the two characteristics are meaningless. If one has ambition without a purpose, he's striving towards nothing. If one has a purpose without ambition, then nothing comes of it and the idea dies with him. However, if one has both, then maybe, _just maybe_, it'll yield success. Such a person could change the world.

Amelia knew she had that potential. She had those characteristics; she could be great if she tried hard enough. But what she also knew was that the world was against her. Change did not come easily. Reputations could be sacrificed, lives could be ruined. She wasn't one of those people who had nothing to lose and could sacrifice everything on a whim. But still she dreamed. She dreamed of travels, she dreamed of flight, exploration, getting down and dirty in the warm mud, ripping her skirt and exposing her long, bare legs in an effort to morph with the Earth, releasing her hair from its tight bonds, and tearing her _damned_ corset off and just being _free…_

Most of all, she dreamed of _equality._

Sometimes she wished she were a man, merely for the favorable ways in which they were treated. Life was easy for them. Men could do as they wished without restraint, and the world would treat them no different for it. Men could explore, men could create, men could control, men could dominate. Men could be the kindest of creatures, and they would be considered gentlemanly and sincere. Men could also be the cruelest, and they would be seen as authoritative and impressive if they had the money and power to back it up. Men could walk alone in the streets at night, men could chase their dreams; hell, men could wear the most ridiculous of costumes, and people would simply think they're being silly or artistic. But damn if she wore a pair of _trousers_ out in public, she would be seen as ill-fashioned and immodest. Women got away with nothing. Those who managed to break through the gender barrier were few in number, and they were typically seen as exceptional and incredible for their feats. Amelia believed they should be perceived as _normal_, for she believed women were just as capable at such activities as men were.

But alas, it was not to be.

In public, she had to wear dresses and frills and leggings and corsets. In public, she could not walk alone. In public, she had to restrain her inner burning desire for freedom, choke down her wayward beliefs, wear a mask of complacency and modesty. She could not express her beliefs like the activists did. She couldn't participate in the hikes, the meetings, the picketing. She wasn't Alice Paul or Lucy Burns. She wasn't even her outspoken friend, Elizabeta. She was the wife of Ivan Braginsky, the wealthy, powerful, and _highly_ influential Republican socialite. Her participation would be a disgrace to her family, her husband, and held the potential to bring about an appalling scandal they would never live down.

Instead, she bit her tongue whenever her husband funded grotesque, haughty, _greedy_ men and sexist bigots for the sake of his own profit. She attended his lavish parties, allowed herself to be the beautiful yet silent wife on her husband's arm during the fundraisers. She didn't spout her feminist beliefs and lash out at the men who applauded her ever-present grace and tranquility and insinuated that she would make a "delightful mother" one day. She remained civil, though she couldn't fight back every hostile glare or the occasional muttered curse. She suffered through every pretentious supper, every pompous ball for one reason and one reason only.

Because she _loved_ her husband.

There were several aspects to Ivan Braginsky she did not love, that was certain, but Amelia could not help but adore him on a personal level. His difference in political beliefs was made up for by his general kindness towards her. He treated her with respect and did little to overall restrain her from doing as she pleased. He allowed her to do things many of his colleagues would never approve of. Considering his age and position, Ivan was relatively open-minded and Amelia enjoyed that about her husband. However, she also knew that even he had a limit to his tolerance. She knew that if she were to confront him with her activist beliefs, he would not support her.

He enjoyed her intelligence, her feisty spirit, her outspoken personality, but only in private matters. Only in the home. In public, she had to keep up appearances. She had to seem like the perfect, traditional housewife for the sake of his reputation. It pained Amelia, keeping up such a facade, but she understood her husband's rationale. She couldn't say she approved, but she understood. She'd been born into a wealthy family as well, afterall.

As she strode down the sidewalk, Amelia released a sharp exhalation in response to her tumultuous thoughts. For three years, she'd had to keep up this facade as Ivan Braginsky's endearing, gentle wife. It was exhausting, but she was used to it. Truthfully, she felt more liberated with her husband than she had her entire life. At least she had a solace in her home with her husband. She hadn't even had that before she'd married.

"What are you sighing for this time?" A voice dragged her back to reality. "I'm boring you with my ramblings again, aren't I?"

Elizabeta sounded partially apologetic, though partially offended by her friend's negligence. Amelia's mind had drifted off once again, always in the clouds. She repressed memories of her mother. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking…"

"Zoning out again? You're always 'just thinking.' What exactly are you even thinking about, I wonder?" Elizabeta gave Amelia a playful nudge and smirked briefly before taking on a more serious tone. "Is everything alright at home? With Ivan…"

Amelia rolled her eyes at her friend's concern. "Everything's_ fine_, Liz. Same as ever. Though it's nice to know that the first thing you think of when you believe something's upsetting me is my_ marriage_…"

A brisk gust of cool air blew vehemently against them then, and Amelia stifled an amused chuckle as she watched Elizabeta struggle to adjust her hat and shrug simultaneously. "You can never be too sure. Women can be so defensive of their husbands to the point where they refuse to mention any flaw on their part. I've found that asking directly yields more results. While people have no issue dodging around a subject, when explicitly confronted with the problem, they are more hesitant to outright _lie_ about their situation. Though I'll concede that it doesn't always work…" Elizabeta shrugged once more, easier this time, and smiled at her companion. "So what were you sighing about, if not your husband?"

"Can't a woman just sigh for no reason?" Amelia grumbled, not particularly wanting to discuss it. Mostly because she didn't want to give her friend the satisfaction of being somewhat accurate in her assumption. Ivan wasn't the root of her problems, though he did play something of a role. Though, to be fair, so did most of society. Societal perceptions were her primary enemy in the grand scheme of things.

"I suppose she can, but did you?" Elizabeta grinned, enjoying this game. She giggled when Amelia scowled, knowing that if this truly were a game, she would be winning. "Come on, you can tell me. I'm sure it can't be any more secretive than anything else you've ever mentioned to me before."

Amelia groaned, but gave in. Elizabeta was quite persistent when it came to obtaining information. She'd figure out what she was thinking eventually _somehow_. "It's not, I guess. I was just thinking about life in general. Nothing very specific…"

"And why is it that when you think of life in general, a sigh of exasperation is elicited? That's quite depressing." Elizabeta clicked her tongue, looking away, her eyes catching onto some vibrant, fashionable displays in the store window. She knew where this conversation was heading.

Amelia shot Elizabeta a look and muttered in an exacerbated voice, "You _know_ why life warrants a sigh from me. It warrants a lot more, but like hell if I can do anything about it."

"You could if you'd accept one of my numerous invitations the women's meetings. We could always use some more members-"

"You know damn well why I can't do that." Amelia interrupted, growing somewhat agitated. They'd recycled this conversation to the point that it no longer provided any insight, any new information. Elizabeta always made her same points, and Amelia always made her own. The discussion of the topic had grown stale over time, and Amelia wasn't looking for yet another repeat.

"Yes yes, because you can't bear to ruin the reputations of your husband and your parents and your brother, and your activism would be seen as a betrayal to all humanity and chaos would overcome the Earth, yielding catastrophe and death as the _apocalypse finally emerges…_"

"It's more complicated than that, and you know it." Amelia spat with a slight huff, her heels clacking against the pavement as she quickened her pace. She tended to walk faster when she was angry.

Elizabeta had no trouble keeping up with her. "Yes, I do know. And selflessness becomes you in that respect. But don't you think you're being a little selfish as well?"

Amelia stopped abruptly at that. Well, that was new.

She pivoted so that she was facing her shorter friend, her face contorted in a combination of confusion and anger. How...how _dare_ she insinuate that anything about her situation was selfish? Amelia couldn't suppress the slight tremor that tinged her voice as she blurted, "_Selfish_? How am _I_ being _selfish_?"

"Because the only thing that's preventing you from taking a stand and fighting for the rights of your fellow women is your own inconvenience! I_ know_ you, Amelia. I've known you for quite some time now. This isn't who you want to be. You don't want to be the spectator, watching everyone around you roam freely while you remain chained by the bonds of marriage and reputation. Yet you refuse to do anything about it because if you did, it would mean that you had to sacrifice something. So instead you enjoy your luxuries and your cushioned life, forcing women like _me_ do all the work for you."

Amelia merely gaped at her friend, feeling incredibly offended. However, she tried to take it with a grain of salt. She knew how Elizabeta was. Elizabeta was uncensored. She was rude, she was blunt, and she said things like they were. If she wanted something to happen, she'd try everything and give it her all until it came through. Even if it meant insulting her closest friend. In the end, Amelia knew she meant well, but…"If convicting women of being selfish is one of your new promotional ideas for your women's group, I'd suggest you try other tactics." Amelia rolled her eyes and began walking once more, slower this time.

"Can't say I didn't try." Elizabeta commented, following after the other. She appeared indifferent as she fixed her dress, patting out the wrinkles. When the two had first started arguing over the matter, they would both come out of the discussion feeling disappointed, insulted, and cross. Now it had gotten to the point where it was just another factor of their relationship. It came up occasionally, but it just as quickly left the conversation without a trace or reminiscence.

"I can never say that about you." Amelia snorted. "I do believe that was probably one of the weaker arguments I've heard from you on the topic, Liz."

"Well, I think I've just about given every other reason for you to join to no avail." The brunette sighed heavily. Her thick, wavy tresses managed to flow with the breeze and blow back as Elizabeta shook her head. Amelia had always thought the woman's hair was wild and messy, but beautiful in its own way. Though, since her hair was long and she wore it down, Elizabeta often received strange looks from others on the street.

"So you thought _insulting_ me would do the trick?" Amelia let out an incredulous bark of laughter, and she cocked an eyebrow. "I don't think taunting your victims is a very effective method of coercion."

"It can be, depending upon the personality type. Some people respond to praises, some to slander. Defiant, proud people especially seem to be affected by scorn. They have a reputation to uphold, and any shame brought to it is seen as a threat. Considering how you are, I hoped it might light a fire within you. Though my expectations weren't too high." Elizabeta's gaze drifted over towards the right. "Looks like we're arriving at your house."

Amelia's blue eyes traced Elizabeta's gaze and darted over towards the courtyard. Her husband's mansion rested on the outskirts of the city, its vastness creating a welcoming and affluent vibe as the two encroached upon the structure. Trees and well-kept gardens surrounded the old brick building, the clean-cut vegetation simultaneously causing the estate to seem both homey and corporate. The intimate nature of the mansion was fabricated, too perfectly produced to give off a truly comfortable vibe. But it was Ivan's home, it was _Amelia's_ home, and it was just as good as any other home Amelia had lived in previously.

Shortly after arriving at the mansion, the two women bid each other goodbye, and Elizabeta left for home. Amelia's husband, according to one of the maids, was out and wouldn't be back for a few hours. Amelia decided to spend this time tearing off her dreadfully uncomfortable dress, tossing on a pair of her husband's trousers, venturing out into the garden, and pretending she was a great explorer as she had as a child in an attempt to block out the reality of the world around her.

* * *

Amelia was lying in bed with a book propped up in her lap, her body bare to the world when her husband finally returned that evening. There was a rumbling jiggle of the doorknob and an aggravated grunt from behind the door that alerted the woman of his presence. When he finally shoved the door open, Amelia flicked her eyes up towards him in acknowledgement. She suppressed a smile as his lingering violet gaze fell upon her naked form and fixated her own on the bold print of her book. She tried to appear nonchalant.

Ivan said nothing initially, releasing an exhausted sigh as he removed his white, silken scarf and his top hat and hung them on their assigned hanger. Amelia watched him from her peripheral vision as he shrugged off his long coat and picked each and every button with his long, nimble fingers. She watched as he silently rendered himself just as naked as herself, a light blush blooming across her cheeks, and her struggle to keep herself composed became all the more difficult. His nudity did not last long, however, for soon enough he had slipped on some underwear and bed clothes. It was only then that Amelia felt the mattress dip slightly with the additional weight, and a sweet, tender kiss was placed to her shoulder as a warmth curled up next to her.

"You were out late." Amelia commented, trying to sound condemning, though the mirth that tinged her features betrayed her poorly composed facade. Ivan caught onto her playful behavior easily and went along with it, though his acting abilities were much better than those of his wife.

"Da, I apologize for that. I was having dinner with a few fellow businessmen, and we indulged in some social affairs afterward." Ivan's voice was smooth and gentle, and his eyes reflected his sincerity, but the small smirk that twisted his lips was just as playful as Amelia's guise. However, his display of amusement seemed intentional.

It was then that Amelia turned her head to meet her husband's gaze, a grin fully forming on her face at last. She giggled softly and shook her head, responding in a mocking tone, "_'Social affairs.'_ Such a fancy term to describe drinking. I can smell it on your breath, you lying bastard."

Ivan smirked, leaning forward to press his lips lightly to Amelia's, the kiss lasting a mere second or two before it was over. However, his presence lingered, and they remained close as the older man replied in a soft murmur, "You know me well. Though, to be fair, we conversed and played a few rounds of cards as well. I didn't technically_ lie_…"

Amelia cut him off with a kiss of her own, though this one lasted much longer. It was pleasant and intimate, and Amelia enjoyed the feeling of Ivan's mouth molding with her own as they embraced one another. She wrapped one arm around her husband's shoulder and brought him in to her breast, close and comfortable. This was one of the things Amelia enjoyed most about marrying an older man; they could enjoy pleasant, warm intimacies without necessarily having indulge in sexual activities. She could hold and be held by her husband, she could kiss and nuzzle and cuddle and embrace him for mere comfort rather than burning desire. Younger men tended to be more hormonal and less controlled with their needs.

She combed a hand through Ivan's thick, platinum hair, brushing it out of his pallid face as the kiss finally concluded. Ivan nipped her lower lip and pinched her hip, eliciting a small yelp succeeded by a giggle from the younger woman. Amelia nuzzled against him as she adjusted her body to his own, making herself comfortable in his embrace. "At least you returned to me before the end of the night. I hate sleeping without you."

Ivan was running an idle hand up and down her back at this point, simply feeling her soft curves, gradually drawing the other closer to his form. "I'll keep that in mind, dear. If it helps, they were quite dry in comparison to you. I prefer your company over theirs."

Amelia snorted, delivering a pinch of her own. "You'd better. Asshole."

The Russian's snow-laced eyes were shut at this point, but his lips bore a grin. "Your affinity for foul language will never cease to astound me."

"You're astounded by mediocre things."

A sharp but quiet laugh, and their lips met once more before they exchanged good night wishes and were lulled to sleep by their encroaching fatigue. Amelia rested her head in her husband's chest as she latched onto him, feeling the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders in the other's presence. She loved him deeply, and that love, she reminded herself, was why she couldn't betray him. That love bound her, shackled her, and provided a confliction in her life. She paradoxically despised the strength of her love, for it stifled her rebellious nature, caused her to become complacent in order to adhere to the wishes of the one she loved most. It was a barrier, a boundary. Her burning, smothering compassion for Ivan was her greatest obstacle, and it would be a difficult one to overcome.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :) Reviews are appreciated

**History Notes:**

**- **Alice Paul and Lucy Burns were two prominent American feminists at the time. They formed the National Women's Party in 1913, which played a large role in the suffragist movement in the US during the 1910s. The NWP was seen as more radical and tended to participate in more public displays of activism than NAWSA, another prominent feminist group. NAWSA was responsible for more of the behind the curtains political interactions.

- Women during this time were beginning to wear pants (or trousers), though mostly whilst participating in masculine activities such as yard work, etc. They would become more popular in the 1920s as leisure clothing. Grown women also tended to wear their hair short or up, while young girls may have worn their hair long tied back with a bow.

- Feminists during this time period tended to be part of the Progressive party in the US. The Democrats also eventually adopted women's suffrage as a part of their platform. Republicans, however, opposed it. Much like today, Republicans during this time period had a strong emphasis on business.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!


End file.
